Blog

Pacific Quest’s Dr. Lorraine Freedle and Travis Slagle will present at the 2014 NATSAP Conference in Henderson, NV. Title: “Ready, Set…Grow!  A Horticultural Perspective of Integrative Health, Rites of Passage & Future Therapeutic Programs” Date: Thursday, February 6, 2014 Time: Session B4 11:00 a.m. -12:30 p.m. Location: La Luna Room at Green Valley Resort and Spa As an innovative …

By Jody St. Joseph, Adolescent Program Director It wasn’t two very large strangers who woke me in the middle of the night, but it was close enough.  My alarm screamed me awake at about 4 am and before long I was at the airport about to leave behind my doggie, my home, and my family.  …

By Tess Barnes Dunn, Academic Coordinator Recently, I had an opportunity to spend a day working with my new Pacific Quest colleagues in the area of our garden set aside for our Rites of Passage ceremony, known as Huli Ka’e. A rite of passage is an important event that serves to mark the passage from …

By Bridger Jensen, Therapist Each morning, our newly-arrived Nalu and Kuleana adolescent students and staff travel from our sleeping quarters up the mountainside of the great volcano Mauna Kea. The short trip to our day camp is performed in silence to aid in self-reflection. From these historic, rolling hills through which we travel, sugar cane …

A group of students recently had the opportunity to visit Papakolea Beach, also known as Mahana Beach or Green Sand Beach.  This infamous beach is located in the district of Ka’u on the Big Island, not too far from Pacific Quest.  Papakolea is one of only four green sand beaches in the world–the others being …

Pacific Quest wilderness therapy program is pleased to welcome Christine Riley, LMFT as a Primary Clinician. Christine received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from State University of New York in Plattsburgh and her Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2003. Prior to joining the Pacific Quest clinical team, Christine served as …

By Dr. Britta Zimmer, Medical Director It is time to face a simple fact and reclaim health: Nutritious Food is Medicine It’s easy to get caught up in the complexity of science, research, and the physiology of the human body, therefore I am constantly reminding myself, my patients, and my patients’ parents to get back …

We received this letter from an airline passenger who was seated by a Pacific Quest student who recently completed the program.  It’s a good reminder of how even brief encounters can leave lasting impressions. I was in Hawaii until yesterday and had the profound pleasure of sitting next to one of your recent graduates. Please …

Pacific Quest is pleased to welcome Jody St. Joseph as the new Adolescent Program Director. In her new role, Jody is responsible for supervision of the adolescent program, personnel management, and assistance with outreach coordination. Other responsibilities will include co-development and quality assurance of supervisory roles, ensuring follow-through of behavioral treatment plans as well as …

By Todd Ransdell, Young Adult Program Director Polynesian people throughout the Pacific Ocean have long used the many types of Wa’a (pronounced vah-ah) to travel, explore, and fish. It is an integral part of Hawaiian history – Polynesian sailors and navigators crossed immense distances to find and colonize the islands of Hawaii without the use of …